Going Home
by dewh2o
Summary: My version of events after Destroy ending. My FemShep is Spacer, War hero and Paragon, mostly. It's a Shenko romance through and through. I tried to be as cannon as possible, but hey, I'm not perfect. Involves most characters of the game. Rated M because I couldn't resist. Sorry it's taking me long to add chapters, but don't worry, I will continue. It's on the verge of completion.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter I**

The shockwave emitted from the Crucible had given a jolt to everything in its path. Reports soon came flooding in at Alliance command, all with the same conclusion: The Reapers had stopped moving-dropping like flies-and had ceased to attack, while the husks had turned into ash.

"It worked! The Crucible worked!", Hackett exclaimed in relief.

Shepard had done more than anyone could have imagined: helped cure the genophage, reestablished peace between the quarians and the geth, crippled Cerberus, united the greatest fleet the galaxy had ever seen, and, finally, destroyed the Reapers. Hackett had never doubted her resolve. Commander Olive Shepard was exceptional.

"Admiral Hackett, this is Jack. I need Shepard's last known coordinates. I'm on my way to the Citadel as we speak. I can't let her sorry ass quit on us now!" Jack had boarded a shuttle, along with her biotic students, as soon as she was able to find a pilot. Hackett sent her the coordinates and wished her luck. He had not met Jack in person yet, but had read enough reports to know that she wouldn't stop until she found Shepard.

The Citadel was in ruins, which made it impossible to land the shuttle. The pilot, Chief Lieutenant Naser, opted instead to lower the shuttle close to the ground so Jack and her students could jump off near the location Hackett had given. The students were visibly exhausted, but Jack was now restless-more than usual. Shepard was the closest thing that Jack had to a friend, and she wasn't going to let Shepard just die after everything she'd done.

"Alright gang", Jack said in her usual _don't mess with me_ tone, "the Reapers are dead, but the only reason we are still here is because of Shepard, so this isn't over until we find her, you all got that?"

"Yes, ma'am!" her students answered, their spirits strengthened.

They proceeded to meticulously scan their surroundings with their omni-tools and remove any object that could possibly prevent them from getting at their target. The air was heavy with dust and smelts of smoke. About half an hour into the rescue mission, Ensign Rodriguez waved the others toward her and urgently said, "I found something. It looks like, yes, it's Admiral Anderson." A few of them quickly cleared the area. Ensign Prangley went to check Anderson's pulse, and grimly announced that the Admiral hadn't made it.

"Shit! Shepard loved that old man. Ok, she's gotta be close. Stop moping around. Focus. She's here somewhere," ordered Jack, trying not to show her growing desperation. She simply couldn't-wouldn't-allow Shepard to be dead.

In the very corner of the room, after what felt like hours of searching, Jack uncovered part of a badly burnt face. She lost her breath for a moment. Then, with all the strength she could muster, she gently moved aside the pillar that was on top of the body. It was Shepard. She was barely recognizable from the burns. Her pulse was faint, her body broken and bloody, but she was alive; and for now, that was enough.

"Admiral Hackett, we need medics at my location ASAP. Shepard's alive. I repeat, Commander Shepard is alive," spat Jack into her omni-tool.

"I'll be damned!" uttered Hackett under his breath before sending out the paramedics.

"Get me Miranda Lawson. I need to speak to her immediately," demanded Hackett to his staff.

Although the Alliance didn't fully trust her yet, Miranda was the best chance Shepard had to survive. Miss Lawson had brought Shepard back from the dead once already, after all. The Alliance might not have all the resources it once had, but it still had state of the art facilities in Rio. With the devastation of the war, humanity needed some good news. Shepard's survival would be uplifting for civilians and military personnel alike.

The medics arrived within minutes. Jack and a couple of her students removed the rest of the rubble, and they slowly placed Shepard on a stretcher biotically. While escorting her to the medics' shuttle, Jack contacted Hackett again to give him the news about Anderson. Hackett was sad his old friend was gone, but he took solace in knowing that David's sacrifice was not in vain-that thanks to him, humanity had fought to see another day.

On the ride to Rio, the medics tried to stabilize Shepard with medi-gel, but her wounds were too severe. She was unconscious with massive internal bleeding and signs of severe head trauma. Her ribs, left arm and ankle were broken, and her body was covered in second and third degree burns. It wasn't pretty, but her breathing was steady, which meant that her lungs hadn't been punctured. Her armour and shields had allowed her to sustain the blow that knocked her out. When the shuttle arrived at the Amparo Research and Health Centre, Miranda and several other medical personnel were ready to admit their newest patient.

After the paramedics briefed the hospital staff about Shepard's current state, Jack took Miranda aside and pleaded to her, eyes raw with emotion, "You better make sure she wakes up from this one". Miranda had never thought it possible for Jack to show such grief. Her pain was real-a pain they both unequivocally shared.

"I will do everything in my power, Jack", replied Miranda with a reassuring smile before disappearing in the operating room.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter II**

The Normandy had crashed on an uncharted planet, and the navigation system was broken. Moral was low: EDI had inexplicably shut down, food rations were limited, and the ship was badly damaged. Within a few days, however, the crew was able to get the main systems running again. It was a testament to the talent and professionalism of everybody on board.

Lieutenants James Vega and Steve Cortez led the repairs to the structure of the ship. Some of the replacement parts for the critical sections were stored in the cargo hold. Those they didn't have had to be built from scratch with scrap parts.

Tali'Zorah vas Normandy and Lieutenant Gregory Adams were on engine duty. They were both expertly familiar with the ship's drive core and engine specs, having discussed them in great detail over the years.

The communication systems were delegated to Dr. Liara T'Soni and Specialist Samantha Traynor. As the Shadow Broker, Liara had learned a thing or two about interstellar networks. Traynor was the ship's Comm Specialist and a very good one. They were both keen on making contact with Alliance command in order to figure out where they were and plan accordingly.

Dr. Karin Chakwas, accompanied by junior officers, regularly went out to the lavish tropical forest they had landed on in search of food. Unfortunately, she didn't collect as many ingredients as she wanted, but the crew made due with what little was gathered.

The ship's calibrations were, of course, left in the very capable hands of Flight Lieutenant Jeff "Joker" Moreau and Garrus Vakarian. Although they bickered frequently about the optimum settings of just about everything, they made a good team, because they always pushed each other for better results.

As the top-ranking officer on the Normandy, Major Kaidan Alenko took on the task of coordinating all the crew's activities. Anything to take his mind off the fact that he had left Shepard behind for the second time. Even though he knew full well that there was nothing else he could have done, he was ashamed that he had failed to get to the conduit with her. He tried to remind himself that he had been in no condition to follow Shepard anywhere, no matter how much he would have wanted. The injuries he sustained required medical attention. He was lucky that Dr. Chakwas was on the Normandy, since she knew his medical history well. Consequently, the doctor was able to heal him quickly while minding the fragility of his biotic implant.

Nights were particularly difficult as he laid uneasy in Shepard's bed-the bed where they had made love, where everything had felt natural and liberating, as if they had known each other for a very long time. Having her waking up in his arms was the happiest he had ever been. He had, in an effort to immortalize the intimate moments he shared with Shepard, memorized every curve of her body, every scar, even every freckle. If he concentrated enough, he could almost feel her warm body next to his, hear her whisper in his ear, see her sleeping beside him.

The beeping of the alarm clock went off and forced Kaidan to roll out of bed.

Every morning since their crash landing, he woke up with a nasty migraine which tended to dissipate as he heeded to his strict routine of prescription medications, exercise, a protein bar, and an energy drink. He stopped shaving, even stopped looking in the mirror, but a quick daily shower kept him seemingly well-groomed.

Once his morning rituals were done, he dove into every single report the crew had submitted the previous evening. Going over them closely, he laid down the duties for the crew, double-checked that he hadn't missed any crucial information, and sent out his orders for the day.

Shepard had made it look so easy. She was a natural leader, always keen on lending an ear and saying it as it was without pretense or offense. Her interactions with her crew were always genuine, which had earned her the crew's absolute loyalty. Kaidan had never presumed to have what it took to command a ship, but out of respect, the crew had followed his carefully waged instructions. He was very grateful for this. In return, he tried to follow Shepard's lead by getting to know all crew members a bit better and letting them confide in him. For the most part, they put on a brave face and focused on their assignments, including Kaidan. He wouldn't allow himself to react until he knew exactly what had happened to Shepard. However, those who knew Kaidan best had noticed an anguish growing in his eyes since they left the Sol system.

On the eighth morning, Liara and Traynor had finally been able to reestablish a link between them and the Alliance. They were scanning through the data received when Liara stumbled on Shepard's name.

"Traynor, please request the presence of the Major immediately. I've got news that Kaidan must see right away."

An instant later Kaidan had arrived. "Yes Liara, what is it? Any ne-" his words were cut short by Liara's sullen look. A lump in his throat started to form as he read attentively the report Liara had swiftly handed him. Although any information was welcome, deep down, he had hoped for better news than what he was currently reading.

"Kaidan," said Liara, softly placing a comforting hand on his shoulder, "She's a fighter. She'll pull through."

Quickly regaining his composure and wiping a tear that had betrayed him, he smiled at her and murmured, "I know she will".


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter III**

After multiple surgeries and skin grafts, Shepard was placed in a medically induced coma to attempt to restore her brain activity and to let her body heal. Some of humanity's best surviving doctors had been summoned to assist in Shepard's recovery. Miranda was mandated to coordinate those involved, and, incidentally, she was again in charge of ensuring that her patient receive the best possible care.

It had been a couple of weeks since the war ended, and little by little the comm buoys across the galaxy were being reactivated. Despite the Alliance trying to keep news of the Commander's condition quiet, people from all walks of life and of all species sent Shepard greetings, well wishes, and presents. Visits to the hospital, however, were restricted, as Shepard's condition was too unstable. Even her old crew wasn't allowed, but Miranda had made the effort to send out regular updates to all of them. They had been kept too busy by the Alliance to be able to visit anyways.

Jack had volunteered to assist in Vancouver's rebuilding efforts. Her student, Ensign Rodriguez, who had lost most of her relatives during the Reaper invasion, had stayed with her. Others had rejoined Jack after spending a few days with their respective families. Grimsson Academy would temporarily be relocated on the outskirts of Vancouver until they could head back to the Petra Nebula.

Urdnot Wrex, Urdnot Grunt and the rest of the Krogans were grounded on Earth while their ships were being overhauled. They had requested to be situated in a dry climate and the Alliance had complied by placing them in the Nevada desert. The military facilities there were ideal for the Krogans' needs. From there, the Krogans were strategically dispatched to help reduce the surge of rebel groups and unruly mercs that were popping up all over the planet.

Jacob Taylor was now stationed in London and settling in with Brynn and his newborn baby. He was still providing intel to the Alliance and lining up work as a consultant for surveillance and security companies.

Samara had made final arrangements to board a cruiser that was headed toward the Traverse. Her obligations now laid with her daughter, Falere. Although the decision to leave without properly giving her respects to Shepard had been difficult, her place was with her only remaining child. Moreover, she knew in her heart that Shepard would understand.

The SSV Orizaba, Rear Admiral Hannah Shepard's starship, had been one of the few that had escaped the Crucible's blast in time and reached the rendezvous point. They had contacted Alliance command within a few of days of the detonation. The starship had suffered only minor damages, and they would be arriving to Earth in under a month. Hannah was eager to see her daughter, proud of her accomplishment, but worried that it would be too late to say goodbye.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter IV**

Communications between the Normandy and Alliance command had been very sporadic. There had been no more news on Commander Shepard's condition. So far everyone on the Normandy knew that all synthetics, including the Geth, had ceased to function, which would explain EDI's demise. It was also known that the mass relays were destroyed, but at least the galaxy was finally rid of the Reapers. The crew had started to mourn the loss of Admiral David Anderson, who died a hero. A small ceremony had been held for the Admiral, who was captain of the original Normandy. It was short but very touching.

Joker had requested that EDI's name also be placed on the memorial wall, which Kaidan, understanding Joker's grief all too well, had agreed to. It was Joker's way of saying goodbye and the only way he could focus on the return to Earth.

Shepard's plaque had also been made, but Kaidan wasn't willing to place it on the wall. No one was. Her friends knew that she had it in her to survive, that no matter her condition, she wouldn't let go without kicking and screaming. Soon enough they were proven right. Reports of Commander Shepard had been arriving daily, and although she wasn't out of the woods, there was hope, and Kaidan had found a new purpose. He would let nothing stand in the way of getting back to her.

The regular updates from Earth also gave the members of the crew the push they needed to keep going. Within a few days, the Normandy was ready to head out into space. The excitement was palpable. Heads were held high and smiles were contagious. Joker and Garrus had even been able to pinpoint their present location thanks to the recon drones sent out by the Alliance.

"Tali, have you calculated our approximate ETA to the Sol system?" asked Kaidan as he was rechecking the ship's systems.

"If Joker's calibrations are correct, we should be within Earth's reach in 4 months' time," she responded.

"Hey! I heard that!" exclaimed Joker, "_My_ calibrations are always accurate," he argued in true Joker fashion, giving a sideways look at Garrus. Garrus glared at Joker, mandibles tense. All at once, everyone on the bridge burst out laughing-and with that they were set.

"Attention crew," Kaidan said through the intercom, "We are ready for lift off. To all crew on deck, proceed to your posts. Joker, take us out."

Engines were purring, propulsions were steady, and all systems were running smoothly. They were in the air, rapidly going through the planet's atmosphere. Emotions were high and there were plenty of cheers. It was a good day. Within a few minutes, they were already in space looking back at the shrinking planet they had nicknamed _Gulliver_.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter V**

It was damp, dark, and cold. The luminance of her own body startled her. Her veins had been replaced with greenish translucent wires of some sort. Paralyzed from head to toe, with no understanding of where or who she was, she felt trapped, her body heavy, conscious of her existence but of nothing else. She had a sickening metallic taste in her mouth, and she could smell fresh blood. The scent triggered a seemingly endless stream of images: bodies everywhere, terror in their faces; husks mawing on piles of corpses; cries of pain, excruciating pain, ending with a light so bright it felt like her eyes were melting, then came pure silence.

_A beeping sound could be heard at a distance. It was barely perceptible, yet constant._

The calmness that now surrounded her was eerie, unreal, and frightening. Memories were coming back to her. She remembered her favourite childhood toy: a miniature replica of the starship her mother had once served on. It had broken and been put back together several times. Every time it broke, she had insisted on fixing it. She carried that thing everywhere. She must have been about five years old. She knew even back then that she would one day command a ship just like it.

Her first day at boot camp had been a proud moment. She was following in her mother's foot steps, but before long she would be under Admiral Anderson's wing and XO of the Normandy, the pride of the Alliance.

Her heart started to beat faster, her breath quickened. All at once, she relived in her mind the last four years of her life. She had felt not only pain, loss, doubt, fear, anger, and sadness, but also laughter, joy, gratitude, and happiness, such happiness.

Faces were rushing through her, filling her with love. A love so strong and so true, she believed she could do anything.

_The beeping became more evident, and much faster in pace._

She saw her mentor who had guided her and supported her through difficult times. She saw the members of her crew on the Normandy whom she admired and considered to be her family. She saw the members of her squad, her closest friends, her brothers, her sisters, her lover...

Her chest sank. The hardest thing she had ever done was to say goodbye to Kaidan. She had made her peace when faced with the choices given by the Catalyst. She knew it would be agonizing for him to mourn her again, after all they had been through together, after finding each other again-but in the end, there was no other way.

_The beeping was louder, much louder. The room felt warmer, lighter._

She was Commander Liv Shepard-war hero, Spectre, saviour of the Citadel, protector of the galaxy. She always did what was best. She found solutions where obstacles arose. She convinced rivals to work together when no one else would. She was Commander fucking Shepard, she could do anything.

The beeping was now loud and clear. It came from a cardiac monitor. Shepard could hear voices around her. She slowly tilted her head sideways, and the voices stopped. Her eyes were so heavy. It took all her strength and willpower to open them, and when she did, she saw but blurred shapes. She could barely distinguish the people in white lab coats hovering over her.

"Shepard, glad you are awake. We've been waiting for this moment for a long time. You are in a hospital in Rio. Your vision will rectify itself. Try blinking several times."

"Miranda, is that you?" recognizing her friend's voice and blinking as suggested.

"Yes, Shepard, it's me. If you are up for it, I assume you would like for me to fill you in on what has happened." With a decisive head motion, Shepard agreed.

"The explosion you triggered effectively shut down all the Reapers and all synthetics across the galaxy. I'm sorry to tell you that Admiral Anderson didn't make it. You suffered severe head trauma. We had to put you under to ensure that the swelling and the pain decreased significantly. The surgeon in charge of your burns was able to restore most of your skin with barely any scarring. We've been waiting for over a week for you to wake up. I must admit I was starting to get a little scared. You have been out for exactly 15 weeks. Your crew and the Normandy were stranded just outside the Arcturus Stream, but they managed to repair the ship and are currently on their way back here. Their ETA is about a month from now. I have taken the liberty to prepare for you all the details of what I have just stated in the datapad on your nightstand, but for now you should sleep."

"Thank you, Miranda, you know me too well," mumbled Shepard before falling into a deep sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter VI**

It had been 108 days since they started their journey back to Earth. Flying solely on FTL gave the crew a lot of downtime. The lounge, which was practically deserted during the war, was now the busiest spot on the ship. Card games and lively conversations were a frequent occurrence. The supply of booze was dwindling, but thanks to Joker and Engineer Adams, they had a good stash of homemade moonshine. It was strong and just the smell of it was intoxicating. It made for a potent beverage which generally made its way into people's glasses by the end of every night.

The next most popular area of the ship was the shuttle bay, where sparring tournaments took place regularly. Garrus and James were currently tied for first place. Steve and Kaidan followed closely.

The vid comm room was also popular. As soon as the networks had been fully restored, Alliance ships on route back to Earth had been given priority access to the extranet. All those on board had their assigned time slots in which they could privately contact their loved ones through the holographic communication.

Kaidan did not use the vid comm room. He preferred to interact with people back on Earth strictly through the audio comm on his omni-tool interface. He couldn't bring himself to look into his mother's eyes due to the guilt of not having been able to search for his father.

His mom, Lillianne, had returned to Vancouver to start fixing up the Alenko family home. She hoped to find clues of her husband's whereabouts. She was a strong woman, independent and self-reliant, but Kaidan wished he could do more to comfort her. So far, he had determined that his father had joined the 61st battalion stationed in Victoria, but not much else. Every trail of evidence he followed was inconclusive. The only possible lead he had was one of his father's squadmates, but the matter had to be discussed in person. Kaidan wanted to make sure he got all the information he could.

As his frustration started getting the better of him, he received an email from Shepard.

_Hey Kaidan, _

_So I'm back in the realm of the living, again, and they just gave me a spanking new omni-tool. The first day out of my coma was tough-I could barely stay awake for more than a few minutes at a time. I finally finished writing my report on what happened leading up to when I shot up the Crucible. I'm better now. I can stay up for a whole four hours without yawning. All kidding aside, I started my physio today and it's going great. I should be up and about in no time. Hackett has already alluded to me being the new human representative on the Council._

_I'm assuming you read my report. It was the hardest decision of my life, but that thing, the Catalyst, whatever it was, didn't give me much choice. All I could think about was you. Thinking that I wouldn't make it out alive broke my heart, but the alternatives were more unbearable. When I woke up, though, I felt anew, like I knew that everything was as it should be and that we would find each other again. I can't explain it, but I just knew you were alright and that we would soon be together again. I miss you so much. This hospital room sucks! At least Miranda is letting me get visitors tomorrow. I can't wait to get out of this bed for good. It's starting to mold to my body. It's scary._

_Shepard_

Kaidan's heart swelled. He reread the email at least ten times. Every time, his grin grew wider and wider. Shepard always made him feel like anything was possible and so maybe he would, in time, find the truth behind his father's disappearance. He took a deep breath to collect himself and started writing his reply.

_Hey you,_

_You have no idea how happy I am to get your email. Has anyone ever told you what impeccable timing you have? I'm glad you're getting physio and feeling chipper. Yeah, I read your report. The whole thing is startling. No one person should ever have to make a decision like that. Let's just say that I'm grateful for the way things turned out, because it could have been much worse. I can't wait to talk to you, to hold you and kiss you. _

_Don't start any wars without me._

_Love, Kaidan_


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter VII**

After returning from her morning appointment with the physiotherapist, Shepard sat in the sofa chair of her room to write an email to Hackett about her mother. The SSV Orizaba had docked long ago, but she hadn't gotten any news from Hannah since their chat when she was staying at Anderson's apartment. There was no mention of her mom in Miranda's report, nor did Hackett say anything to indicate that he had heard from her. Shepard suspected a cover-up but wanted to get the facts before she started speculating.

As she was about to send her message, the door of the room opened, and a petite fully tattooed woman entered and turned cross-armed toward Shepard.

"Dammit Shepard, you sure took your sweet ass time to come out of that coma of yours. I had nobody to bitch to about Miranda. Did you know that she was keeping you all to herself until now?"

"Yeah well, I wasn't much to look at," answered Shepard, smiling and quickly making sure she was presentable.

"Vegetable or not, I still wanted to see you for myself and tell you to stop making us wait, but nnnnooo, princess Miranda would not have any of it. She even refused Jacob."

"It's nice to see you, Jack. I hear I have you and your students to thank for rescuing me."

"Yeah, don't mention it. You would have done the same," replied Jack and casually bounced on Shepard's bed.

"Regardless, I just wanted to properly thank you, so thank you," Shepard gave a heartfelt smile which Jack reciprocated awkwardly. "How have you been? Staying out of trouble?"

"I'm a respectable teacher, now. I keep myself in check. I do it all for those kids".

Before Shepard could reply, the door opened and Hackett appeared; Shepard immediately stood up to take a military posture.

"I didn't realize you were already occupied. At ease, Commander. Hello, Jack. I need to talk to Commander Shepard. Can you excuse us for a moment?"

Jack looked a little peeved at the request but complied as she didn't want to mess with the brass. Hackett thanked Jack, went to sit down on the chair across from Shepard, and signaled her to take a seat.

"I've come to talk to you about your mother," Hackett paused to let Shepard adjust.

"I was actually just about to email you to ask you to keep me in the loop, Sir."

"I'm guessing you're wondering why she hasn't contacted you. Well, the truth is that she's missing. I would have told you earlier, but we wanted you back on your feet before telling you. We weren't sure how you would have handled it. We all have our limits."

"Missing! How? When?" she asked, taken aback. "Any other surprises I should know about?"

"We are still putting the pieces together, but as far as we know, she was abducted not long after she contacted Alliance command to confirm that the ship had made it to safety. The Orizaba was just outside the Aethon Cluster when it was attacked and boarded. The crew claims that your mother was the sole target. She gave them orders to push on without her. I will give you access to all the files."

"I appreciate you telling me, Sir. With your permission, I would like to conduct my own investigation into my mother's kidnapping, and I would like to start as soon as possible."

"Of course, Commander, I wouldn't have it any other way. If you need anything, please let me know." Hackett stood up to take his leave. Shepard got up and gave her thanks, to which he replied, "It is us who have to thank you, Shepard." His gentle smile instantly alleviated her spirits. "Keep me posted on your findings. Goodbye, Commander."

Jack came back in to find Shepard lost in thought. "Shepard, you alright? You look like you need a drink."

"Yeah, Hackett just told me my mom is missing."

"What the fuck!? Missing? Anything I can do to help?"

"Not for now. I need to look at the intel they have first, but I ain't doing it on an empty stomach. I'm starving. Let's go eat at the cafeteria."

Jack cringed.

"It's not that bad, really!" continued Shepard, nudging Jack.

A couple of weeks later, Shepard was given a clean bill of health by her doctors. Her scars were completely healed, and her strength was better than ever. She was eager to go back on duty, even if it meant being posted on the Citadel overseeing the reconstruction of the Charon Relay. At least the Spectre Shooting Range would be close by.

Shepard's old crew had planned a little celebration for her release in a quaint little bar not too far from the hospital. It was Jacob's go-to place when he visited Rio, and luckily it had remained mostly intact from the Reaper invasion.

Many of the hospital staff who tended to Shepard were also present at the gathering. Surprisingly, everyone fit comfortably, including Wrex and Grunt. Wrex had already informed Shepard that the Krogan clans would be going back to Tuchanka the following day. Since their ships were now repaired and fully stocked for the long journey ahead, they were determined to return to their home world as soon as possible.

Reminiscing with old friends and meeting new ones was nice. It felt like the old days-minus the constant threat of sudden death. Shepard realized that evening that it had been too long since she had any real normalcy in her life. She wasn't quite sure if it was a good thing or a bad one; all Shepard knew for certain was that her life wasn't going to be the same as it had been for the past few years.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter VIII**

"Are you ready for this, Alenko?" asked Garrus, patting him on the shoulder.

"Never been readier in my life. How do I look?" said Kaidan, fixing his clothes for the umpteenth time, obviously antsy.

"Like a man in love," said Tali, absentmindedly.

"Relax, man, she's not going to eat you alive," remarked James.

"She might!" chuckled Joker.], and they all let out a chortle.

"Thanks guys, you've been good friends to me."

"Right back at you, Kaidan. You're a good man. We are all very happy for both of you," said Liara, warmly placing her hand on his arm.

Kaidan beamed at them and inhaled deeply. The door to the Citadel docks opened to a hallway filled with rows of soldiers from all species in formal attire. As the entire crew of the Normandy entered the large room, Major Coats called the room to attention. The human soldiers immediately took their stance and saluted. The rest followed their own customs. The area had become still and serene.

The crew walked in awe across the floor. At the end of the front row, Alliance officials and family stood facing the honored soldiers. Shepard, who was standing next to Admiral Hackett, came out of formation, ignoring protocol, and started walking toward them. Overcome with emotions, Kaidan couldn't help but walk a little faster to her. He could see her sparkling green eyes glazed with tears. With a sense of urgency, they both hastened their pace. When they reached each other, Kaidan took Shepard in his arms and kissed her so passionately, so completely, that the people around them seemed to vanish. The world felt right again-whole. Her lips, her scent, her body felt so familiar to him, as if they had never been apart. While they slowly broke off from their embrace, the room came back into focus. It had erupted in celebration. Everyone was ecstatic. Hands were being shaken, hugs were given, and families were reunited.

"I showed up, Shepard," whispered Kaidan, before kissing her again.

Hackett soon came in to greet Kaidan. "Hello, son, it's nice to finally see you in person again."

"Yes, Sir. You, too, Sir. It's nice to be here," said Kaidan unconsciously stepping away from Shepard and nervously shaking the Admiral's hand, evidently embarrassed.

"It's quite alright, Major," said Hackett, guessing the reason of Kaidan's sudden anxiety, "No need to worry about your relationship. The Alliance has given its consent."

Kaidan smiled in relief. Hackett had suspected a romantic involvement between Shepard and Kaidan for a while, but he never pursued the issue. There were more pressing matters to attend to at the time. After the war, Shepard and Kaidan's possible fraternization was irrelevant.

"We have someone else here to see you," said Shepard, showing Kaidan to whom she was referring.

"Mom!" exclaimed Kaidan. Although she had aged significantly since the last time Kaidan had seen her, he immediately recognised his mother's soft brown eyes. They hugged ever so tenderly.

Shepard had called Lillianne a few days earlier and persuaded her to come to the Citadel for the welcoming party. Shepard had given Lilianne a tour of the Citadel, and they got to know each other a little. Lillianne was glad to have the chance to talk to Shepard one-on-one, and rapidly understood why her son had fallen for the famous Commander Shepard.

Lillianne was a shapely and good-looking woman. She was warm and loving. The family resemblance was obvious. Shepard saw so much of Kaidan in his mother that she took to her instantly.

Lillianne had known about Shepard and Kaidan's relationship since Shepard's funeral. Kaidan had never said anything specific back then, but Lillianne could tell something was up. She started to read everything she could about her son's presumed deceased Commander. When news of Shepard's return had surfaced, Kaidan finally confided in her.

"Hi, honey," whispered Lillianne, still holding her son. "It's so good to see you."

"I'll let you two talk," said Shepard.

She left Kaidan with his mom, and walked toward her crew. Shepard chit-chatted with her junior officers and their families. She thanked them for their service and told them her door was always opened. Then she turned to see her gang huddled up, laughing merrily.

"Shepard, where's my smooch?" shouted James.

"You should be so lucky," snickered Shepard as she joined the group.

"So, this is it? The sweet taste of victory? No more ancient civilization out to get us? No more obscure organization looking for world domination? Just peace and quiet?"

"Garrus, you sound almost disappointed," responded Shepard.

"Not disappointed, more like skeptical."

"He thinks some crazy lunatic will force us back to war or something," explained Tali. "Shepard," she continued, turning to Shepard and whispering, "May I talk to you privately?"

"Yes, Tali, of course. What's up?" replied Shepard as they walked away from the others.

"Well, it's about EDI," said Tali, making sure Joker wasn't listening. "During our trip, I found a backup of her in the root programming of the Normandy. It's from before the final assault against the Reapers. I believe I can restore EDI into Dr. Eva's body again, but I am concerned about Joker's reaction. I haven't told you before, because Joker is always too willing to hack any secure channel."

"I see," contemplated Shepard. "How certain are you that the upload will work?"

"I haven't been able to assess the integrity of the data from the backup and how it may affect EDI's personality, but with the right equipment, I am confident I will be able to revive her."

"Tali, that's amazing news!" said Shepard. "Don't worry, I will talk to him."

"Thank you, Shepard," replied Tali, relieved. "I appreciate it."

"I need a drink!" exclaimed James. "Anyone with me?"

They all nodded and agreed to head down to the Purgatory Bar to keep the party going. Before joining them, Kaidan and Shepard stayed behind to say goodnight to Lillianne, as she had already made plans to catch a ride back to Earth.


	9. Chapter 9

**Sorry for the wait. Thanks for following, faving and reviewing. Hope you enjoy this chapter. It's all smut. You have been warned. :)**

* * *

**Chapter IX**

By the time the party ended, Kaidan and Shepard couldn't keep their hands off of each other. Every touch, every kiss was exhilarating. Luckily, the Citadel corridors were almost deserted and Shepard's apartment wasn't far away. Standing closely behind her as they waited for the elevator, Kaidan brushed her hair aside and placed his lips on the back of her neck and whispered, "You're so beautiful". His warm breath on her bare skin sent a delightful shiver down her spine. She turned around, looked into his inviting hazel eyes, tilted her head, and sensually kissed him just below his left earlobe. She followed by a peck on his temple and ended with a long kiss on the left cheek, barely touching his lips.

When the elevator door whooshed open, they were once again enthralled in a passionate kiss. A couple past by them, staring, but Shepard and Kaidan didn't care anymore. They weren't prone to public displays of affection, but tonight was different. Tonight they didn't want anything holding them back.

Noting that the elevator was empty, Kaidan picked Shepard up with one swift motion and carried her inside. Her legs were firmly wrapped around his waist as they continued to kiss each other feverishly.

"What ... floor ... is ... your apartment?" mumbled Kaidan between kisses.

"Fifth," spurted out Shepard without missing a beat.

Still holding her tightly against him, Kaidan managed to press the button to the fifth floor of the residential wards. As the doors closed, he thrusted her to the wall and began to unbutton her top. She could feel his member growing under her, and she suddenly heard herself groan with pleasure which made Kaidan rip her blouse open. He dove in to bury his face in her cleavage, and pushed the fabric of her bra with his tongue to freely and gently bite at her exposed nipple. Shepard was going mad with desire, swaying her hips so as to feel his hardness fondle her sensitive nub.

When they arrived at the fifth floor, they were both panting heavily. Kaidan carefully set her down making sure her breasts were covered. She grabbed him by the belt and undid it as she stepped backwards toward the hall. They barely made it inside her apartment when they both started tearing their clothes off. Shoes came off first, then tops, pants and socks. Once her bra was tossed, he picked her up again, caressing every part of her body he could touch.

"Kaidan", she murmured in his ear, "I've missed you so much."

Her sultry voice and her wetness on his groin almost made Kaidan lose his balance. He set her down on the corner of the couch, caught the rim of her underwear and peeled it off. Kaidan stopped for a second to gaze at Shepard's naked body.

She was more beautiful than he had remembered. He had spent too many nights without her and now needed to feel her arousal, to hear her moan uncontrollably. All he wanted was to pleasure her-to love her.

Shepard began to massage her pink bud with one hand, touched her breasts with the other and cried out his name, cueing him to drizzle kisses from her knee to her inner thigh, spreading her legs apart. By then, she had lost herself with desire and reached for his head, tugging him by the hair toward her middle. He grinned at the thought that she craved him as much as he craved her.

His tongue traced her creases several times before landing on her swollen knob. He nipped at it with his teeth, and introduced two fingers in her. He swirled his fingers upwards pressing gloriously on her G-spot. Shepard arched her back, swooning, and squeezed the cushions of the couch fiercely as to stop her from dissolving. He slowly pulled out his fingers, spread her inner lips, and inserted his tongue, twirling it around, licking her and sucking her until she was dripping wet. She tasted so sweet and moved so gracefully. He loved every second. Kaidan switched back to rubbing her, and he felt her opening tighten around his fingers. He continued a little faster-a little harder-to get her more aroused and even tighter. Shepard's panting became erratic, moaning _Oh yes _incessantly_._ She was close, so close.

At the moment of her climax, Kaidan jumped back to suck on her some more, letting him quickly take off his briefs and giving Shepard a chance to settle her breathing. Admiring the woman he loved, Kaidan slid into her, taking but a few sturdy thrusts to reach his apex. He moaned blissfully and finished inside her warmth. In triumph, he crashed beside her on the sofa, holding her firmly.

"Where did you pick all that up?" said Shepard slowly recovering and curling up against Kaidan's sweaty body.

"I had a lot of free time on my hands fantasizing about you."

"I see," giggled Shepard naughtily.

Exhausted and satisfied, they headed to the bedroom for some well deserved shut eye and fell sound asleep instantly. A couple of hours later, Kaidan felt a hand stroking his genitals. Shepard was laying sideways, her chin on her right palm, elbow toward the headboard of the bed. She was grinning devilishly at him when he opening his eyes to look at her.

"Hey loverboy, hope you are ready for round two, because I have fantasies of my own."

"Is that right?" he asked, quickly regaining his senses.

"Uh huh," she said, springing on top of him, kissing his chest lusciously, and moving down his torso.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter X**

It was morning when Kaidan woke up. His clothes were neatly folded on top of the drawer. As usual, Shepard had woken up much earlier. She had readied herself and was now at the kitchen table drinking tea and reading her notes. Kaidan took a quick shower, dressed and followed his nose to the smell of freshly brewed coffee.

"Morning!" said Kaidan, kissing her on the cheek.

"Morning, sleepy head," said Shepard before smooching him back.

"What can I say? You wore me out," replied Kaidan, amusingly, "and it's barely passed 8am, Liv."

"You know me! The perpetual early riser."

"Thanks for making coffee", said Kaidan while pouring himself a cup. "How's your investigation?" inquired Kaidan, guessing the content of her datapad.

"Not as good as I would want," she announced. "The ship that attacked the Orizaba was found abandoned and stripped on Doldit in the Aru System. I've got nothing solid to go on, just bits and pieces. I've asked Aria to keep an ear to the ground for me. "

"It's like your mother disappeared into thin air."

"Hmm..." pondered Shepard, "It can't be a coincidence."

"What can't?"

"Your dad..." she replied as a light bulb went off in her head. "Your dad was taken...taken by the same people who took my mom."

"What? Do you have any evidence to back that up?"

"No," confessed Shepard, "but I know I'm right. Think about it. The parents from the only two human Spectres go missing without a trace, and the Illusive man's body was never found either. It's just too conspicuous."

"But what would anybody want with our parents."

"I don't know? A bargaining chip, a ransom, a trap, revenge," she suggested.

"If we are looking for the same people, this must be a big operation," replied Kaidan, slowly being convinced.

"Yeah, no kidding!"

"Liv, do you know what this means?"

"Yes! That Cerberus might be behind this. I'm going to see Liara: she might have seen some chatter about their activities."

"I was going to Earth tomorrow, but I think I'm going to go today to question my father's squadmates," stated Kaidan.

While Shepard messaged Liara, Kaidan contacted Steve. They all agreed to meet in the mess hall of the Normandy in thirty minutes. Shepard gave Kaidan an energy bar and they left.

Once on the Normandy, Shepard had a nostalgic air about her. Walking through the hallways of her ship again felt like seeing an old friend. She examined it attentively. When Shepard thought Kaidan wasn't looking, she gently caressed the counter around the galaxy map of the CIC.

"I promise I took good care of her," Kaidan vowed.

"Who told you the Normandy is a she?" she winked at him.

The ship was scheduled for a retrofit, and engineers were already on board assessing the work to be done. It was still in good shape considering the makeshift repairs the crew had to do to get it back in the air. Shepard was proud to call it her ship and proud of her crew's dedication to it.

_Thank you!_

Shepard was thankful that it had safely brought her crew-and Kaidan-back to her.

Liara was already in the mess hall when Shepard and Kaidan arrived. They filled her in on the circumstances surrounding their respective parents and on their suspicions about Cerberus. Steve had arrived in the middle of the accounts.

"Actually, now that you mention it, I have been getting hits about a new organization. They call themselves Praxidikai. Let me check something," said Liara. She went to her quarters and brought back her drone. "Glyph, please cross-reference all known Cerberus networks with the entity named Praxidikai."

"Dr. T'soni, it seems that there is a direct correlation between Cerberus and Praxidikai. Most of their connections are identical."

"They just won't let up, will they?" retorted Kaidan.

Without hesitation, Steve agreed to take Kaidan down to Earth to follow up on this lead. Kaidan and Steve immediately headed to the shuttle bay, while Shepard stayed with Liara to dig deeper into the data she had.


	11. Chapter 11

**Please note that I changed the name of the shaddy group to Praxidikai. It's mythology made more sense for my story.**

* * *

**Chapter XI**

Steve had kept the shuttle in pristine condition. He learned a while back that it was best to be prepared, especially when on duty on the Normandy. His predisposition was what made Steve a great addition to the crew, and he had gained a friend in Kaidan over the last few months. They were almost finished packing when James appeared with his duffle bag in hand.

"You guys going somewhere?"

"Hi James, yeah, we're going to Earth. Need a lift?"

"Huh, where's the Commander? And why are you gearing up?" asked James, confused.

"She's with Liara working on something," replied Kaidan.

"Working!? Dam Kaidan, I thought you and Lola would be going at it like bunnies."

"Something came up," answered Kaidan half amused, half serious.

"You need muscle?"

"Thanks James, but we're good. We're just going to ask people some questions."

"So if it's just a nice conversation you're gonna be having. Why the guns?" inquired James.

"Yeah, right," conceided Kaidan, "but aren't you supposed to spend time with your uncle and get ready for your N7 training?"

"Nah, my uncle can wait, and the N7 program only starts in a couple of weeks, plus I was born ready for it," said James flexing his biceps. "Besides, if Shepard is working on something the day after her Prince Charming comes back, and you and Esteban are getting ready for some action, I want in."

Kaidan hesitated for a second, but accepted James' offer and filled him in on the situation. James had proven time and time again that his meathead appearance was only skin deep and that he could rely on his own wits, and not only his brute force, to get himself out of trouble.

If Cerberus was behind the disappearances, Kaidan wanted to be ready for anything. All three men finished packing the necessary gear in the shuttle. On the route to Earth, Kaidan managed to track down one of his father's teammates and scheduled to meet him at the Marine base in Victoria.

"Major Alenko," saluted the young man in uniform, "I'm Private Martin."

"At ease, Private. I am not here in an official Alliance capacity. I just want to ask you a couple of questions about Chief Lieutenant Christopher Alenko," explained Kaidan. "I'd like for you to give me an account of what happened the last time you saw him."

"Well, Sir, from what I remember, our squad encountered a group of mercenaries on our regular rounds. No altercation, but they were clearly inebriated, saying all sorts of nonsense. Then, the Reapers continued their attack and we retreated to camp, but Alenko stayed back. We never saw him again. We tried to find him, but we just didn't have the manpower to do so. I'm sorry, Major."

"It's ok, Private. What were those mercenaries saying?"

"They were talking about some group named Pracdece and how-"

"Wait, what?" interrupted Kaidan. "Do you mean Praxidikai?"

"Yes, that's it," continued Martin. "And how they were going to take over Cerberus or something. They were drunk, no one thought anything of it. Well, except the Chief, Sir."

"Did my father," Kaidan let slip, "Chief Lieutenant Alenko, say anything to you or anyone else about his intentions?"

"Hmm, he was visibly upset, more than usual I guess," recalled the Private. "Then again, we all were. He did talk to Private Li, briefly, but she never said anything about it. She got dispatched to Vancouver HQ a couple of months ago."

"Thank you, Private, that'll be all," concluded Kaidan.

Kaidan couldn't believe it, the dots were starting to connect. He finally had something to go on: a clue about what happened to his father. Kaidan contacted HQ, and after being given the runaround, he decided to go for the name-dropping tactic. Eventually, he got a hold of Private Li's XO. The Private was assigned to the relief efforts in downtown Vancouver and would be on duty the following day.

He called his mother to tell her that he would be staying the night and that Steve would drop him off soon, but she insisted on having Steve and James over for supper.

"Listen guys, not a word to my mother, ok? I want to tell her when I've got more evidence."

"I hate to break it to you, but she's gonna think something is wrong. I mean, Shepard's not here," said James.

"Shit, I didn't think of that."

"Don't worry, I'll come up with something."

The following day, the three men, having stayed the night, woke up to the smell of breakfast. Kaidan entered the kitchen to find Steve and James setting the table.

"It smells amazing, Mrs. Alenko," said Steve.

"Yes, Mrs. Alenko, you shouldn't spoil us like this," teased James. "We may never want to leave."

"Please boys, call me Lillianne. It's a pleasure to have you here," she replied merrily as she saw her son. "Good morning, sweetie, did you sleep well?"

"Yes, mom," assured Kaidan with a smile, "You need a hand?"

"No, I'm almost done here, thank you," answered Lillianne. "By the way, you never told me why you came a day earlier. I hope everything is alright."

"Esteban here was itching to come to firm land, so the Major changed his plans. I just came along for the ride," responded James before Kaidan even had the chance.

"I hope I didn't ruin your plans by inviting you for supper yesterday."

"No, not at all Mrs. A-I mean Lillianne-last night was perfect," said Steve enthusiastically. "The view here is spectacular and your chicken pot-pie was divine."

"Oh, good! I was a little worried that you were already back on duty since you are all still in your fatigues."

"Not yet, we still have over a week left of time off, and I guess none of us thought about bringing civilian clothes," said Kaidan; Lillianne appeared convinced.

When the three soldiers had finished their breakfast, they thanked their gracious host and promised to visit again before their leave was over. It took them about ten minutes to arrive at the heavily secured grounds where Private Li was stationed. She seemed nervous at the sight of Kaidan and his companions, but she quickly revealed the reason for her distress. It turned out that Christopher had entrusted her to deliver a message only to Kaidan in person. She had attempted to reach Kaidan and sent him several emails requesting a meeting, but after months had passed without any reply, she feared her account had been hacked. By the time she confirmed her suspicions, it was too late; the Normandy had vanished and she didn't know who to trust.

The message was: _Shepard's DNA is the key, protect her at all costs._ It was alarming enough that Private Li knew it was important. She was relieved that she finally got to give Kaidan his father's last words to her. She was sure that Kaidan would find his father and get to the bottom of what the message meant. Her confidence reminded Kaidan of Shepard's relentless determination, which reassured him.

On the way to drop James off at his uncle's home in California, Kaidan messaged Shepard informing her that they had new information that might shed light on what Praxidikai was up to.


	12. Chapter 12

**Please note that I had to switch the Anderson monument to London, as it made more sense.**

* * *

**Chapter XII**

Kaidan entered Shepard's apartment and found her fast asleep in her bed. She was under a blanket but fully clothed. Kaidan laid beside her without making a sound. He gently moved a lock of Shepard's fiery red hair away from her face and studied her intently.

It dawned on Kaidan that the woman he loved had changed-something she would never acknowledge. The change was not so much physical as it was mental. It was completely out of character for Shepard to have a nap. She had once said that she would sleep when she died. After what seemed like mere seconds, Shepard slowly woke up noticing Kaidan gazing at her.

"Hey!" said Shepard groggily.

"Hey, Liv," murmured Kaidan soothingly.

"How long have you been here?"

"Not long."

"Hmm," grunted Shepard clearing her throat, "I was just resting my eyes."

"You don't have to justify anything to me."

"I'm not, I just...yeah, I guess I was-you're right. Thank you," murmured Shepard while slowly sitting up.

Kaidan pulled her toward him wrapping her in his arms, her head resting on his chest. Although she didn't want to admit it, she was tired. His warm body was a refuge from the sorrow that was lingering within her. The calmness that Kaidan's presence brought her was welcomed. It had never faltered in giving her that extra push to keep going.

"So what was the new intel you got?" inquired Shepard.

"Nothing we need to worry about now," assured Kaidan, his eyes heavy.

Shepard wanted to insist on getting an answer to her question, but fatigue engulfed her once more, and she didn't fight it. They both dozed off, cuddled together. They woke up well into the night, and Kaidan couldn't keep quiet about what he had uncovered. The message Christopher had left him was worrisome, but Kaidan knew better than to leave Shepard in the dark. After Kaidan detailed his last two encounters, he and Shepard concluded that they would continue to gather more information on this new group, Praxidikai, before poking their heads blindly. Shepard would nonetheless pay a visit to Aria to get her cooperation in their pursuit.

When Shepard returned, Kaidan was preparing a meal. They had skipped dinner, and Kaidan had whipped up a delicious rice dish from the somewhat limited selection in Shepard's pantry. Luckily, he had found a bottle of red wine that would set the tone for the evening.

"Kaidan, what's all this?"

"We're celebrating!"

"Celebrating what exactly?" asked Shepard, surprised.

"Check your messages, we're all getting commendations. There's going to be a huge ceremony next week unveiling a monument to Admiral Anderson in London. Hackett didn't tell you?"

"Huh, yes, but I didn't know it would be so soon," replied Shepard as she read Hackett's email from her omni-tool. "Hackett wants us to see us tomorrow. We'll have to tell him to postpone it. It's too dangerous."

"What? Shepard, no!" exclaimed Kaidan while he pondered for a second on what Shepard was suggesting, "Praxidikai wouldn't dare make an assault on Earth," continued Kaidan as he took Shepard's hand in his. "The crew needs this, we all need this. We'll tell Hackett what we know and he'll increase security. It'll be alright."

"Yeah, you're right," mused Shepard, "We'll go see him first thing tomorrow morning." Kaidan nodded and smiled softly.

"Now, are you hungry?"

"I'm starving!"


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter XIII**

Early next morning, Shepard and Kaidan paid a visit to Admiral Hackett. The reason Hackett had summoned them was to offer both Shepard and Kaidan a promotion, but before Hackett could introduce the subject he noticed they were troubled. They took turns explaining their theory about Praxidikai, which seemed a little far-fetched, but Hackett couldn't take any chances. He made the necessary arrangements to increase security for the event; there was no way an unknown organization would prevent them from this historic moment.

"Above all, there's the matter of your promotions," stated Hackett as he passed them each a datapad. "Of course, you may refuse, but I sincerely hope you regard them as opportunities. Kaidan, you have proven to be a strong leader, and we need a General with your knowledge of bio-amps to be in charge of overlooking several initiatives for biotics within the Systems Alliance. Shepard, although this long overdue promotion as a Rear Admiral is tied to the function of councilor, I promise you it's only temporary. Once the Citadel is back on neutral space, we will have another candidate filling the position," said Hackett, pausing to let it all sink in. "Also, in order for you to fulfil your roles as Spectres, we will permit you to command the ship of your choosing despite your new titles. I would like to emphasize that these positions were tailored to your particular abilities while giving you as much flexibility as possible. All the details are in the datapads I have given you. I will need a definite answer the day before the ceremony."

"Thank you, sir," responded Shepard. "I think I speak for the both of us when I say that we are extremely honoured to have been considered for these promotions."

"Absolutely, sir," continued Kaidan. "We'll have answers for you soon."

They left Hackett's office with lots to think about. Shepard knew this was coming, but she had been living day to day for so long she never stopped to actually reflect on her future. Now that it was staring her in the face, she didn't know how to process it. Kaidan, on the other hand, had never expected this promotion. He was a little overwhelmed with the trust the Alliance had placed in him.

"Kaidan, I'm proud of you," declared Shepard, noticing a hint of doubt in Kaidan's eyes. "I can't think of anyone more deserving."

"I do," replied Kaidan adoringly. "You know you will be a great addition to the Council, and you'll be back on the Normandy before you know it."

"Yeah, Hackett has really thought of everything. He's a sneaky one," joked Shepard. "We should talk about it tonight over supper. I'll cook this time."

"Yes, I would like that."

"Great, so it's a date," said Shepard happily. "I have to go see Daniels and Donnelly. Daniels sent me an email last night. Something about the Keepers. Might be important."

"A date sounds good. Now would be as good a time as any to pack my stuff from the Normandy," admitted Kaidan, when uncertainty suddenly hit him. "Huh, can I stay with you until I figure things out?"

"Why haven't I thought of this before?" asked Shepard rhetorically. "You should move in with me. I'll send the access key to the apartment."

"Move in?"

"Yeah, why not?"

"You mean permanently?"

"Well, unless you plan to be stationed half-way across the galaxy, I don't see why we can't live together. Isn't that what couples do?"

"You're right," said Kaidan, grinning like a goof. "I'll see you tonight then?"

"You most certainly will," affirmed Shepard while grabbing Kaidan to kiss him firmly.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter XIV**

In the four months since the Citadel turned into ruins, the Keepers had been hard at work. At one point, their count had been over a thousand, but no one fully understood where they were coming from or where they went when their numbers dwindled. When Shepard read Engineer Daniels' email about a possible connection between the Keepers and the Mass Relays, she was immediately intrigued and invited both Engineer Daniels and Engineer Donnelly to come by her office at ten hundred hours.

"Good morning, Commander Shepard."

"Good morning, Daniels. Good morning, Donnelly," responded Shepard. "It's nice to see you."

"Likewise, Commander. We were extremely happy when we heard you had made it," replied Daniels.

"Thank you!"

"And happy that you and Major Alenko are finally officially together," continued Donnelly.

"Ken, I don't think the Commander has time for small talk."

"It's alright, Daniels. I did make a spectacle of myself kissing Kaidan like I did in front of everyone, but I hear congratulations are in order for you two."

"Huh, yes ma'am, thank you!"

"So when's the big day?"

"In fact, Commander, that's another reason we wanted to talk to you in person. We would be honoured if you could be the officiant at our wedding next week. We know it's very last minute and we understand if you can't make it, but you see, life's too short, and..."

Shepard made a slight gesture for Donnelly to stop talking.

"The honour will be mine."

"Really?"

"Yes, really!"

"Brilliant, Commander, this is pure dead brilliant!"

"Ok, now that that is settled," giggled Shepard, "what is the deal with the Keepers?"

"Yes, ma'am, as you know, we are part of the team working on rebuilding the Charon Relay. We were assigned to maximise the structural integrity of the gyroscopic rings. A few days ago, we noticed that a significant amount of unscheduled repairs were done to them," answered Donnelly.

"We have since determined that the Keepers are to thank for those repairs," continued Daniels.

"How is that possible? How did they get there?"

"We have no idea ma'am, but we know that the Relay is transmitting a high-frequency sound, and we believe that if we were to bring the Citadel closer to the Relay, more Keepers would help with the repairs," replied Donnelly.

This meant that the Charon Relay could be operational in a fraction of the time that was originally anticipated. Shepard asked that Daniels and Donnelly monitor the Keepers activities and study the possibility of amplifying the signal of neighbouring Relays. As soon as Daniels and Donnelly had left, Shepard sent out a memo to Hackett and the Council informing them of the new development. Just when Shepard was about to tackle the dozens of unopened emails in her inbox, Joker stepped in her office.

"Shepard, you look like you need a break."

"Do I?" said Shepard, looking at the time. "I think it's more like you want company for lunch."

"Well, now that you mention it, I am a little peckish, but if you're too busy to go eat with a friend, then..."

"Yeah, actually, I wanted to talk to you about something."

"Uh oh, what did I do now?"

"Nothing, I hope," responded Shepard teasingly. "How are you doing, you know, with EDI not being with us anymore?" continued Shepard in a more serious tone.

"Yeah, I'm taking it one day at a time, trying not to think about it too much."

"What if there was a way to bring her back?"

"Where are you going with this Shepard?" questioned Joker hesitatingly.

"Alright," said Shepard earnestly, "Tali found a backup of data that EDI stored in the processor of the Normandy. Tali thinks it's EDI's consciousness and she wants to try to revive her body with it, but first we wanted to check with you, to make sure that you would be OK with it."

"Are you kidding? Of course I'm OK with it," approved Joker in amazement. "Damn, she's a sly one. The idea didn't even occur to me, but it makes so much sense that EDI would have a contingency plan...Self-preservation and all."

"My thoughts exactly," agreed Shepard. "I'll give Tali the official seal of approval. Still want to go for lunch?"

"Yes, absolutely!"


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter XV**

The afternoon flew by with this and that, but at 1700 hours, Shepard was out the door with her grocery list in hand. When she arrived at her apartment, Kaidan was already there. His boots were neatly placed on the shoe rack at the entrance. She liked that; sharing her space with Kaidan-it felt right, like coming home.

Kaidan's things were almost all arranged in the bedroom when he heard Shepard. He finished setting up and went to the kitchen to greet Shepard.

"Hi, gorgeous," said Kaidan, kissing Shepard.

"Hi, you! Settling in alright?"

"Yes, I got a few things, I hope you don't mind."

"No, of course not," replied Shepard. "This is your home now."

Kaidan looked at her with a lopsided smile.

"What!?" said Shepard, smiling back at him.

"I could look at you all day."

"Really?" She put the groceries on the counter and turned toward Kaidan. "I could kiss you all day." She gave him a long, hot kiss.

Kaidan placed a hand on her cheek, caressing her delicately. Shepard leaned into his palm, kissing it and grabbing his ass to pull him closer to her. As Kaidan continued to kiss her, he moaned into her ear, and bit her earlobe which made Shepard moan in return. She slid her hands up Kaidan's back and across his chiseled torso. Shepard was now burning with desire for him. Instinctively, they headed for the bedroom slowly undressing each other. The first item to get tossed was Kaidan's t-shirt, exposing his perfectly defined abs. Every uncovered body part was met with kisses, licks and soft touches. They savoured every inch of each other's bare skin.

Once they got under the bed sheets, an intense urge swept over them. Heat and sweat made them break free from the covers. Stripping the remainder of their clothes, they faced and held each other, sitting upright as Kaidan inserted his hardened member into her. As they sighed in ecstasy, their tongues swiveled in each other's mouths. They were so consumed with their entwining that they almost had to remember to breathe.

Suddenly, a blueish glow gleamed around Kaidan. It soon wrapped Shepard's entire body. Her skin tingled everywhere, even between her legs. The sensation was unbelievable. His biotics were allowing him to sway her back and forth as he pleased. Their movements, slow at first, were gaining in speed and force. Shepard, determined to have him deeper inside of her, managed to push Kaidan on his back and straddled him. Kaidan nuzzled at her breasts, then rubbed her nipples between his fingers. She tightened her grip on his erection, moving her hips in circular motions. His biotics had dissipated, but she still felt the subtle prickle on her nipples and her sensitive knob. Shepard was wild with anticipation. Her motions claiming all their senses. She was panting and moaning, screaming out his name, asking him, begging him to take her over the edge. Kaidan reveled in her euphoria, thrusting harder and faster into her. Shepard's climax came with a quiver, a quiver that made Kaidan whimper blissfully as he released himself inside of her. After a few seconds of pure relaxation, Shepard detached herself from him and laid on her back beside him.

"I'm glad I didn't scare you with my biotics," said Kaidan once he could, tilting his head to look at Shepard's naked body.

"I didn't know you could do that," replied Shepard. "How many more wonderful surprises do you have like that?"

Kaidan grinned and said, "Don't worry, you'll find out soon enough."

"You tease!" exclaimed Shepard with a smile as she kissed Kaidan lightly on his lips.

"I guess I can show you after supper."

"I better get cooking then," said Shepard as she hastily stood up.

Kaidan chuckled lovingly.

Shepard went to the bathroom to freshen up, and when she came out she was wearing a tank top and short shorts. Her hair was wet from the quick shower she took. Kaidan couldn't help gawking at her.

"You want help with supper," said Kaidan as he snapped out of his reverie.

"If you want to eat tonight, maybe you should stay away from the kitchen."

"I promise I'll behave."

"It's not you I'm worried about," responded Shepard as she left the room grinning back at Kaidan.

As Kaidan lay in bed, his thoughts wandered to a more preoccupying subject. They had to eventually talk about the promotions Hackett offered them. He knew that it would be a hard sell for Shepard to accept the Council position. Even though she was an excellent negotiator, she hated the constant arguing and bureaucracy that the Council had demonstrated countless times. He had to convince her somehow that until the Citadel was taken back to the Widow system, she could actually make a difference.

He loved that she took no guff from anybody, and that she could charm anyone as much as she could kick ass in combat. What he loved most about her was that she was a problem solver. No problem was too small or too big for her. Even when something seemed impossible to everyone, she always found a way to resolve it. Shepard could always see the big picture. Kaidan had been such an idiot about the whole Cerberus thing. He still cringed at the thought of their confrontation on Horizon, but Shepard kept going, knowing that reason was on her side. He ultimately saw the wisdom of her actions and loved her even more for it.

As he showered, Kaidan outlined in his head a list of reasons why she had to take the promotion. By the time he got dressed, he was ready to convince her into accepting the promotion.

"It smells delicious," said Kaidan, walking into the kitchen.

"It does, doesn't it?" replied Shepard. "It's my mom's recipe. It's almost ready. Wine or beer?"

"Beer."

Shepard opened a bottle and passed it to Kaidan.

"Have you thought about the Admiral's proposal?" asked Kaidan.

"I have."

"It will be a piece of cake after all you've accomplished. You might be the only one to keep the Council in check and make sure they never forget that Earth is in it for the long haul."

"I know, Kaidan."

"Before you know it, you'll be off on missions again," continued Kaidan without realizing that Shepard was agreeing with him, "and, you know, I'll never be too far away once the Mass Relays are functioning again."

"I'm going to take the promotion."

"You are?!" exclaimed Kaidan in disbelief.

"Yes, I am," affirmed Shepard with a confident smile. "It's time to move on. I can't be Commander Shepard forever, nor do I want to."

"This was easier than I imagined," joked Kaidan, telling Shepard about the whole speech he had prepared to try to persuade her.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter XVI**

Daniels and Donnelly's report demonstrated clear evidence that the Keepers were steadily repairing vast parts of the Charon Relay and that the soundwave emitted by the relay was calling the Keepers.

With the report, Shepard convinced the Council to allow the Citadel to be moved closer to the mass relay. A small fleet, led by the Normandy, was scheduled to relocate the deep-space station. The fleet's ships were equipped with powerful traction beams. These beams were designed to push or pull massive structures in space. Moving the Citadel would take exceptional coordination from the commanding officer, and naturally the task had been given to Shepard. The Normandy was still undergoing upgrades, but as the Alliance's flagship, it was ready to fly at a moment's notice. All the ship needed was a pilot and a crew. The Alliance had assured Shepard that she would have the necessary personnel to successfully accomplish the mission.

On the day of the mission, Shepard had slipped out of the apartment just after 0500 hours. She wanted to give the Normandy a visual inspection before meeting the temporary crew.

The ship was deserted. The repair crew had cleared up and evacuated merely hours earlier. Shepard planned to walk through every deck, starting with the shuttle bay like she did in the past. The ship's inventory had been limited to emergency supplies. At a quick glance, all items seemed to be accounted for. Both shuttles had been restocked and were fully operational.

Next, the engine room's logs showed that Engineer Adams had recently checked the ship's engines and noted that the setting had been optimized for short range displacement. Updates and comprehensive tests had also been performed on most of the auxiliary systems. Only minor design improvements had been made throughout the third deck, since the primary focus of the repairs had been placed on the navigations.

Shepard had fond memories of her rounds of the ship. Talking to her crew one on one seemed to calm them as much as it would calm her. The conversations were usually about the missions, but sometimes they were more personal. Shepard always felt honoured when her crew confided in her. It was a chance for her to get to know the members of her crew a bit better.

When the elevator doors opened on the CIC, Shepard was surprised to find her former first officers lined-up on both sides of the galaxy map controls and her old crew in formation surrounding the room.

"Attention! Commander on board, ready for inspection," exclaimed Kaidan.

Shepard went around to inspect the soldiers. They looked sharp-rested. Everyone had shown up, even the soldiers posted on the original Normandy. It wasn't a dangerous mission, but having people she knew and trusted back was uplifting. Shepard was especially impressed with Kaidan, who had been able to keep this welcome a secret from her.

At the end of her examination, she paused, looking once more at her crew in appreciation of those who had been lost and the brave soldiers who were again by her side.

"It's been a crazy ride-life changing-and yet you are here, ready to serve. I am honoured to continue working with every single one of you. Now, soldiers, to your posts. We have a ship to fly."

All the soldiers moved hastily to their respective posts or to the elevator, while Joker, Kaidan and Shepard walked to the bridge.

Turning toward Kaidan, Shepard asked, "How did you ever pull this off without me noticing?"

"I distracted you with other things," replied Kaidan with a smirk that made Shepard's knees weak.

"Ew! Gross," said Joker.

"Ahem, Joker, are all navigations a-go?" retorted Shepard, choosing to ignore Joker's comment.

"I need to double check a couple of settings and tweak the new features. We should be good to go in 20."

"Good, I'll give the heads up to the Council and the fleet."

By the afternoon, the Citadel was successfully transported 100 kilometres from the Charon Relay. Early reports confirmed that the Keepers had multiplied significantly-sighted in every sector of the relay and working persistently. It was still too early to tell, but Daniels suggested that the Charon Relay could be fixed within 6 days, which meant that work on the relays close by would start soon.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter XVII**

**Note: I have changed Anderson's Memorial to London instead of Vancouver.**

The evening before the inauguration of the Anderson Memorial, Shepard and Kaidan paid Lilianne a visit and stayed the night. Lilianne seemed in good spirits, but Kaidan knew that the longer his father was missing, the greater it weighed on his mother's shoulders. Kaidan wanted to tell his mother that there was still hope, but he couldn't-not until he had solid evidence that his father was alive.

After sharing a delicious meal with Lilianne, Shepard and Kaidan had stayed up late looking out on English bay, enjoying the evening's cool breeze. They talked about their childhood-both growing up as army brats, they discovered that they had a lot in common. They both moved from place to place, adapting continuously to new surroundings and new people. Shepard, a spacer, had been on five different solar systems by the age of twelve, and Kaidan, on earth, had been all over North America before he ended up in the BAAT program.

Shepard had always felt comfortable saying just about anything to Kaidan, who had a particularly calming effect on her, but tonight she had noticed something new. She was at peace there, away from it all, away from always being on her guard and looking over her shoulder. It was a revelation that she didn't quite know how to process or how to put it into words. Soon, they both started to yawn and they readily crawled into bed, exhausted.

It was the crack of dawn when Shepard woke up from yet another bad dream. Kaidan was fast asleep beside her. She carefully got out of bed and saw that she had received an urgent message on her omni-tool. With a couple of swift swipes, she opened it.

_Commander Shepard,_

_Congratulations on your promotion. Rear Admiral, at such a young age. It's very impressive. Your mother is so very proud of you. And as the next Earth councilor, we hope you do not disappoint us like the last councilor._

_The Praxidikai._

Kaidan had woken up just in time to see the expression on Shepard's face change into rage as she read the email.

"What happened?" asked Kaidan as he rose up to see the message Shepard had received. As Kaidan read it, Shepard noticed his omni-tool was also signaling an urgent pointed to his device and he opened it as briskly as she did.

_Major Alenko,_

_It seems that you are in a privileged position to influence the events to come. We will be in touch._

_The Praxidikai._

"What the hell are they playing at?" asked Kaidan, in shock.

"I have no idea, but we'll get to the bottom of this," exclaimed Shepard as she pinged Liara to call her back on a secure line.

Liara had been scanning every channel diligently for any reference to the affairs of the Praxidikai organization, but nothing indicated that the group was involved in anything other than philanthropic ventures. These two emails had been the first sign that the group had any particular interest in Shepard. Liara was able to trace a server hub on Earth's moon that had the same underlying markers as the messages Shepard and Kaidan just received. The servers were impenetrable. Liara suggested placing receivers, which she happened to have, on the servers to intercept any transmitting communications. Luckily, there was enough time to go to the moon and back before the ceremony for Anderson's memorial started.

Luna had been hit hard by the Reaper invasion. Its restoration had been funded by a large conglomerate of Earth-run institutions which had also installed their own communications facilities equipped with long-range extranet and intranet servers.

They devised a plan, left a note for Lilianne, called Steve, and packed what they needed. Once on the shuttle with Steve, they picked up Liara on the Normandy and flew toward the moon. As not to arouse suspicion, Kaidan would pretend to be an Alliance inspector and Shepard a technician. Liara had already replaced both of their identifications which she added to Luna's security systems. Once cleared for landing, Steve dropped off Kaidan and Shepard and flew Liara off station, where no surveillance would detect her presence and where she could quickly access the server room.

Kaidan and Shepard easily convinced the guards of their supposed purpose, which was to inspect the station. Their real purpose was to get to the security controls and allow Liara to override the cameras and sensors. Once the security measures were deactivated, Liara and Glyph would have under eight minutes to get to the server room, place the receivers, return to the shuttle, and wipe any recording of Kaidan and Shepard's visit before a station-wide alarm would be triggered.

Everything went as planned. The asari took just over 7 minutes to execute her part. It was now only a matter of time before Liara could pinpoint the exact location of any incoming transmission and possibly locate where Praxidikai was based.

They left the Luna station, changed into their dress uniforms and flew straight to London.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter XVIII**

London was starting to look like the city it once was. All of the debris had been cleared out and new construction was underway everywhere. The Anderson memorial had been a top priority and was completed a week earlier than expected. It was a beautifully built park with a central plaza large enough to accommodate a few thousand people. Today, the area of the ceremony was already filled to the brim. The attendees were mostly military, politicians and dignitaries, but many civilians had ventured to the big city for this memorable occasion. Due to tightened security, only invited members of the press were given access to cover the event. Everyone had to pass scanners to get into the plaza. Even Liara, Kaidan and Shepard had to go through security before quickly taking their seats on the stage beside the rest of the Normandy's crew.

The ceremony started with the unveiling of the Anderson monument, a stoic statue of the man in Alliance uniform. Kelly Sanders, per Shepard's insistence, had been invited to speak first. Her speech was personal and moving. Everyone had fallen silent at the raw emotions of her words.

Admiral Hackett spoke next, "To the women and men, soldiers and civilians, who put everything aside to defeat the Reapers: this plaza is also dedicated to you. I would be amiss if I did not give a special salute to the crew of the Normandy. From its very beginning, the Normandy and the people in it were in the thick of it all, pursuing our common enemy until the very end. I am here today to present to its crew the gratitude they truly deserve."

One by one, every crew member of the Normandy, both alive and deceased, were immortalized with their names ceremoniously placed around the Anderson monument. Hackett continued by handing out to every non-Alliance member of the Normandy SR-1 and SR-2 the newly created Anderson Star, awarded to non-Alliance soldiers who distinguished themselves by exceptional cooperation with allied forces. Then, the Normandy's Alliance soldiers received their commendations and promotions. Flight Lieutenant Jeff Moreau and Lieutenant James Vega received the Star of Terra and the Arcturus Ribbon for their role in the success of the war. Chief Engineer Adams, Doctor Chakwas, and Samantha Traynor received the Naval Cross for their dedication to their respective fields. Promotions were given to Engineer Daniels and Engineer Donnelly who both became Operations Chiefs, and Lieutenant Steve Cortez was promoted to Flight Lieutenant. Kaidan was awarded the Arcturus Ribbon and given his promotion to General. Shepard, already recipient of every existing medal and commendation, was promoted to Rear Admiral.

When Shepard was introduced to give the final speech, the attendees rose up and roared with glee. As she slowly took centre stage, Shepard scanned the crowd for any possible disruptions, any sign of violence, but there was nothing. The mood was light and cheerful. She collected her thoughts and focused on the reason they were all there.

"Admiral Anderson was a true hero, not only because he fought with everything he had, not only because he lead by example, but because he never expected praise or reward in return. He was a mentor to many, knowing when to push and when to let go. Without him, most of us would not be here today, including me. I will honour you, David, by striving for peace, fairness and cooperation. For those who still think that we can continue exploring the galaxy without allies, may I remind you that the Reapers were defeated because we worked together. United we stand strong, divided we will crumble." As Shepard took a pause the plaza erupted with cheers and applause. When the crowd had quieted slightly, she stated a thought and a solemn wish. "This monument also commemorates all the lives we lost, organic or not. May we never forget them. " Again, the crowd rose to their feet and roared into cheers and applause.

After the ceremony was over, the festivities continued, though Shepard was not in the mood for a celebration. The message from Praxidikai had shook her, but for her crew's sake, she would put whatever feelings she had aside.

When she was recovering at the hospital months ago, reading the thousands of well wishes she received, it became clear to her that she meant much more to people than what she saw herself as-a mere Alliance soldier doing her duty. Shepard represented the best of humanity; she gave people hope and purpose. Shepard also realized that she couldn't be that person forever, that some day, she would have to simply be Liv Shepard again. She couldn't think of being anything other than a soldier, but if her role and position were to change-as it presently was-and she could no longer do what she loved to do, then maybe it was time to do something else. A quiet life as a civilian might not be that bad. And yet, maybe, she just had too much time on her hands lately to think about these things.

The following morning, the crew was invited to Kaidan's family home for breakfast. It was nice to be amongst friends once again and feel no immediate threat looming upon them.

"Hell of a party yesterday," exclaimed Garrus. "You humans sure know how to celebrate."

"Yeah, that we do! I think Vega is still out there celebrating," replied Shepard jokingly. "Where's Tali? Did she party too hard?"

"No, she's coming. She's bringing a surprise for someone," whispered Garrus with a grin while looking at Joker, who was deep in conversation with Adams about the Normandy's optimum navigational settings.

"What!? She did it already?" asked Shepard.

Garrus nodded with pride.

"That's amazing."

"She spent more time with her than she did with me. I was starting to get jealous," said Garrus jokingly. "But seriously, it kept her from thinking too much of Rannoch."

"I know how much she wanted to be there for the construction of their new city," returned Shepard.

"Now with most of the comm buoys working, she has been able to participate in some of the planning," replied Garrus.

"That must be encouraging," said Shepard as they were alerted that someone was at the door. Kaidan went to invite the new guests in.

From the monitor, Kaidan saw Tali with some other woman wearing a very shiny suit. Kaidan couldn't recognize her because she was behind Tali and had her back to the camera. He nonetheless opened the door for them.

"Hello, Major Alenko!" said Tali's friend now facing him. Kaidan's jaw dropped realizing who she was.

"Kaidan is a General now," Tali corrected her companion.

"Huh...Shepard!" called out Kaidan, in awe. "You better come over here."

Tali seemed tired, but their was a levity to her that Kaidan hadn't seen in a long time. He suddenly woke up from his daze and warmingly welcomed them both. From where they stood, no one else could see who these people were. Although the sound of Kaidan's voice was calm, there was a hint of urgency. Shepard immediately rose up to walk over to the entrance. Others, noticing a disruption, followed her. With a steady pace, Shepard turned the corner of the hallway into the foyer where the guests were waiting.

"EDI!" cried out Shepard and hugged her readily. Shepard had forgotten how cold EDI's body could be-it was all metal after all-but she didn't care.

"Hello, Commander!" replied EDI, hugging her back. "It's nice to see you."

When they pulled apart, a handful of people had gathered behind Shepard, astonished to find their old colleague and friend alive.

"EDI? Is that really you?" asked Joker as he made his way to her through the crowd.

"Yes, Joker, it is really me!" answered EDI.

The little group of onlookers happily retreated to continue their breakfast feast with Tali, leaving Joker and EDI alone in the hallway.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter XIX**

Shepard had not been this nervous since her first day at the academy. She was wearing once again her dress blues, though this time, she got her hair done and even put on some makeup. She looked good, but inside, she was all butterflies.

She anxiously reread the text she had prepared for the occasion, trying to memorize every word. It was all happening so fast, but Daniels was right-life was too short. Moments like the one that was about to take place were precious and she was ecstatic to be part of it.

"You nervous?" inquired Kaidan, who just finished getting ready.

"I can't memorize this damn speech I wrote," replied Shepard, rereading her text for the umpteenth time.

"Well, you don't look it," said Kaidan knowing that she was needlessly over preparing.

He approached Shepard from the back, grabbing her from the waist and kissing her neck just behind the ear. At the touch of his lips on her skin, she froze, savouring the moment and slowly turning around. Shepard was pleasantly surprised at what she saw. Kaidan was not wearing his formal uniform. He had instead opted for a tailored three piece grey suit he had made for the event. He looked like he came right out of those early spy vids-elegant and sexy.

"Love your civies," exclaimed Shepard once she took a step back for a better view.

"Thanks, I saw an old vid of my dad when he was young. He was wearing a similar suit, and I felt like changing it up," explained Kaidan. "You look hot. New hairdo?"

"Nah, just took a bit of your gel," said Shepard, passing her hands through her hair as if she was putting it on again. Kaidan nodded lightly, showing his approval.

"So, ready?" continued Shepard, putting her speech in her pocket even though she had just decided to improvise her speech after all.

"Yes, after you my lady!" returned Kaidan, regretting his corny comeback as soon as he said it. His embarrassed expression made Shepard chuckle, and Kaidan didn't feel as foolish.

They stepped out of the observatory into the hallway-Shepard had given the Normandy's Captain's quarters to the bride-where the groom was pacing. He was pale and hadn't even noticed either Spectres until they were right in front of him.

"Oh, Rear Admiral, General," blurted Donnelly saluting them instinctively.

"At ease, Chief," replied Shepard. "We're here as friends, not as your commanding officers. Feeling a little restless, Donnelly?"

"Hmm, well, yes ma'am, I mean Shepard. Whoa, that's weird. Ma'am, if you don't mind, I will keep calling you ma'am," rumbled Donnelly.

"Yes, of course," responded Shepard. "Do you need anything? Are you OK?"

"Just got the jitters, I guess," replied Donnelly while taking a big breath. "But actually could you..." he continued, "could you possibly check up on Gabby to make sure she's still...coming?"

"Yes, Donnelly. I can definitely do that," answered Shepard reassuringly.

"Thank you, ma'am, Thank you for everything," said Donnelly taking a hold of Shepard's hand and shaking it vigorously.

"I think I better stay here with him in case he passes out," whispered Kaidan amusingly to Shepard before she stepped away toward the elevator.

In front of the door of her quarters, Shepard compulsively tugged on her suit before knocking on it. A woman in her fifties in a maroon satin gown opened the door. She was a slightly older version of Daniels-presumably her mother.

"Miss Shepard, please come in. You shouldn't have to knock on your own door. My Gabby has told me so much about you. I wanted to personally thank you for sticking up for those two and getting them back on the Air Force. We wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you. My name is Stella, but everyone calls me Ella," said the woman in one swift breath as half a dozen of Daniels' relatives huddled up behind her.

"Mom! The Rear Admiral didn't come here to be accosted by my family," said Daniels.

"Nonsense, she doesn't mind, don't you my dear," retorted Ella. "I'm sure she appreciates a little praise once in awhile. Who wouldn't? I know I would never stop anyone from giving me compliments. People shouldn't refrain from sharing their love and admiration for one another. Don't you think so, my dear?"

"Yes, absolutely! Please call me Liv. It's a pleasure to meet you all," answered Shepard.

"The pleasure is all ours, I assure you! It's real nice of you to lend us your ship for the wedding. I even got to see where my baby spent all her time with Kenny. Not much of a view, but they sure love it down there, working on those engines," said Ella.

"We were lucky to have them on board. They really are a good team," declared Shepard.

"Ok, say bye for now," exclaimed Daniels to her family while taking Shepard into the hall.

"I'm sorry ma'am, my mom gets chatty when she's nervous. Did Kenneth ask you to check up on me?" she asked rhetorically. "Silly man, I bet he thinks I'll change my mind. What does he think? Anyways, I'm rambling on. Thank you, Shepard. We're almost ready here. Everything is on schedule."

"I wouldn't have expected anything less," replied Shepard. "Don't worry about Kenneth. I'll make sure he doesn't lose it," she concluded with a wink. Daniels retreated to the chaos of the bridal party, thanking Shepard once again.

Growing up without siblings or other relatives never bothered Shepard; it never even crossed her mind. She learned and excelled at being self sufficient. When her mother couldn't be around, Shepard took care of herself. It was nice to see a big family like the Daniels being supportive and helping one another.

The crew's deck was delicately decorated with flowers and ribbons. The furniture had been reorganized for the ceremony, and the guests were already in their seats. The ship was quite convenient in its design: the rooms could be disassembled and reassembled in a matter of minutes. Shepard checked up on Kenneth as promised and gave him Daniels' message. He was feeling much better than earlier; still a nervous wreck, but he was smiling now at least. Minutes later, the bride came down; the wedding had begun.

Shepard took a few moments before the couple's i-do's to share with the attendees her impressions of Gabriella and Kenneth. Shepard recounted some of her visits to the engineering deck, describing the pair with uncanny detail and enumerated all the ways they were made for each other. By the end of her speech, the room had gone silent, except for some sniffles and tear wiping coming from the guests. Even Kenneth had to cough out the ball of emotion he had in his throat before he could say his vows.

The ceremony over, Shepard slipped out of sight while everyone else was visiting the other decks of the ship. She sent a message to Kaidan so he wouldn't worry. When she got to the docking station, she felt a presence nearby.

"Leaving already, Shepard?" spoke out a man from behind her.

Disappointed she got caught leaving early, Shepard was equally happy to hear the voice of the soon to be N7 soldier.

"Vega!" said Shepard as she turned around. "So this is it? Your last day of freedom. Off to be the soldier you always wanted to be."

"That's the plan!" replied James. "Is the party not up to your standards?" James asked jokingly.

"I got loads of work to do, that's all!" answered Shepard.

"Work, huh," replied James pensively. "You'll find her. You must know that?! It's only a matter of time."

"Time she might not have," responded Shepard, dejected. "Yeah, I know you're right. My mom's though. I saw her once negotiate her way out of a contract with a Volus. It was fascinating. I'm just tired of waiting around."

"Yeah, I hear ya!" said James. "So Edi's back. She seems herself. I wish I could have seen Joker's face when she showed up. Must have been priceless."

"It was," giggled Shepard. "Listen, James, I'm glad I got to see you before you left. I wish you all the best. I know you'll make me proud." Shepard went in for a hug which James returned affectionately. She felt small in his massive arms, like a little sister saying goodbye to her big brother. She knew he would be alright no matter where he was.

"Take care of yourself," wished Shepard.

"Sure thing, Lola," replied James as they parted ways. "Catch you later!"


End file.
